25 Killed in Algeria Bus Crash as President Declares National Mourning and Vows Accountability

BOUMERDÈS, Algeria — At least 25 people were killed and 44 others injured after a passenger bus overturned in the northern Algerian province of Boumerdès on Friday, prompting President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to declare three days of national mourning and pledge that those found responsible would be held accountable.

According to Algeria's Civil Protection service, the death toll rose sharply from an initial report of six fatalities as rescue teams continued emergency operations at the crash site. The injured were evacuated to nearby hospitals, while authorities warned that the number of victims could increase as the response continued.

Preliminary information indicates that the bus, which was traveling from the eastern province of Sétif, veered off the road before plunging down an embankment along National Road 24 near the El Karma area in Boumerdès Province.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, President Tebboune announced a three-day period of national mourning and expressed his condolences to the victims' families.

In a statement released by the Presidency, Tebboune said that justice would act "with an iron fist and without mercy" against anyone found responsible once the official investigation is completed. He also described those responsible for deadly road accidents as "road criminals and terrorists," underscoring the government's determination to crack down on reckless behavior and negligence on Algeria's roads.

The Boumerdès crash is the deadliest road accident in Algeria since August 2025, when a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in Algiers, killing 18 people in a tragedy that shocked the nation.

Another major bus accident occurred in December 2025 in the southern town of Tabelbala, where 14 people lost their lives after a passenger bus overturned.

Road accidents remain a major public safety challenge in Algeria, where speeding, dangerous driving conditions, and traffic violations continue to claim hundreds of lives each year.